Presser and stretcher for trousers or other fabric garments or articles



Nov. 1, 1932. J sjc oRBY I 1,885,803

PRESSER AND STRETCHER FOR TROUSERS OR OTHER FABRIC GARMENTs OR ARTICLES Filed April 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l John Sldd On 5 j INVENTQIR;

J. 5. coRBY PRESSER AND STRETCHER FOR TROUSERS OR OTHER FABRIC GAHMENTS OR ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR;

. Q)- mum.

Nov, 1, 1932.

J. s. COREY 1,885,803

PRESSER AND STRETCHER FOR TROUSERS OR OTHER FABRIC GAHMENTS OR ARTICLES Filed April 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 john slddons COACH INVENTOR;

.l. S. COREY Nov. 1, 1932.

PRESSER AND STRETCHER FOR TROUSERS OR OTHER FABRIOGARMENTS OR ARTICLES Filed April 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 John Siddons (lorbua IN VENTO R,

By k

MA Attemay.

Nov. 1, 1932.

J.S.CORBY PRESSER AND STRETCHER FOR TROUSERS OR OTHER FABRIC GARMENTS OR ARTICLES Filed April 6, 1931 5 Shgets-Sheet 5 J Y- n giddons Covbg IN VENTOR; 8! WW g/QM Afiornay latented Nov. 1, 1932 siren sr JOHN sinnons ooRnY, or WINDSOR, ENGLANIS rnnssnn AND srnn'ronnn Fort rnousn ns on orrrnn Fannie ARMENTS on narrows Application filed. April 6, 1931, Serial No. 527,914,

The" present invention relates to presses and stretchers for trousers or other fabric garments or articles. The primary objects of the invention are to provide a simple, eflicient and withal an economically manufactured device of this kind which will enable the articles to be quickly placed therein and removed therefrom and which will stretch the articles during the closing of the press and immediately before the final pressing pressure is applied throughout the main length of the article in the press. Another object is to provide a clamp section for the stretching operation which will effectively 1 grip the garment without any possibility of in ury thereto and a still further object is to provide means for relieving or releasing the pressure. of this clamp section after the stretching is effected and the final pressing pressure has been applied throughout the main len gtl'lof the article'in the press. It will beconvenient for the purposes of description to confinethe latter to the use of the press for stretching and pressing trousers, which is its principal function, but it will be understood that it may also be used for other garments or fabric articles which require stretching and pressing, and may if necessary be varied size and/ or outline to suit the purpose for which it'is designed. The

various pressing elements may be made of wood metal or other convenlent material.

The invention relates in particular to presses of the kind having two clampingelements hinged together at the bottom and adapted to be closed up and clamped in closed position after the trousers have been placed in position therein with the ends of the legs downwards, and wherein one clamping elee0 ment is composed of separate clamping sections spring pressed or spring mounted to give to different thicknesses of different parts of the garment A press of this kind according to the present invention comprises a rigid clamping element and a sectional clamping element hinged together. The sectional elementcomprises a middleclamping boar-d for the main part of the le s of the trousers which is hinged to the bottom of the rigid element, a lower and in Great Britain December 16 i930.

the ends of the trousers, the said lower clamp ing board being normally in alignment with themiddle board,- and mounted thereon by sprlngs, and means for clamping the rigid element and the said middle clamping board together.

The said middle clamping ably hinged to the rigid element through the medium of a leaf spring or springs to permit it to give to thethickness of the garment in the closed position of the press, and the lower clamping board is preferably mounted upon the middle board by leaf springs.

The press also preferably comprises an up per clamping board pivotally mounted upon the upper end of the middle clamping board and spring pressed in such manner that it normally projects forwardly of the middle board and on the closing movement grips the upper end of the garment and moves up wardly as the closing of the press is com pleted', thus effecting stretching of the gar ment. y

Such an upper clamping board may moreover be constructed of or faced with material which will provide an effective friction grip upon the garment without injury th'ere to. Means may also be provided associated with the means for closing-the press-whereby- .substant'ial gripping pressure-is appliedlto such upper clamping board during the dosing of the'press and the stretching operation and relieved when the closing of the'pressis completed and the final pressing pressure'applied throughout the main length of the board is prefer Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a detail modification.

Figure 8 is a back view of the top of a press illustrating further improvements according to the invention.

Figure 9 is a central vertical section of Figure 8 with the press open and the gripping 2 hingedtogether. at the bottom by hinges 3. The clamping element 2 comprises three separate clamping'boards 4, and 6, of which 4is intended to grip the end of the trousers, 6 to grip the upper portion, and between them to effect stretching, and 5 to efiect the pressing of the. main portion of the garment. The main or central pressing board 5 is connected with the hinges 3 through the medium of'arched leaf springs7,the lower clamping board 4 is connected to the middle board 5 by leaf springs 8, and the clamping board 6 is connected to the upper end of the board 5 by links 9 hinged both to the board 6 and the board 5. In the normalcposition the board 6 lies in advance of the board 5 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the link 9 upwardly inclined, and it is backed up by the free end 10 of a leaf spring 11 which is anchored to the back of the middle board 5 at 12. The said board is recessed at 17 to accommodate and allow free movement of the end of this spring. The clamping element 1 is provided with side lugs 13and the clamping board 5 with levers 14 having a cam surface 15 for engaging the lugs 13 as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and giving a strong clamping pressure when the levers are moved down. The levers as shown are formed at the ends of a continuous rod 14a which traverses the back of theclamping board 5 under the batten 16 and in contact with the spring 11. A degreeof friction is thus provided sufficient to hold the levers 14 in any convenient position prior to closing the press, as shown in Figure 1, and to prevent them loosely dropping under their own weight. A stirrup 17 pivoted to the clamping element 1 by pivots 18, encircles the clamping board 5 to limit the opening of the press, and the cross rod 19 of this K stirrup works in a guide 20 so that it does not project or hang loosely when the press is closed. The press is supported through the middle clamping board 5 by means of keyhole slotted plates 21 fastened to the batten I 16, whereby the press can be suspended on screws, hooks or the like upon a wall or other support. Spacing blocks 22 of india-rubber are also provided at a lower level to space the back of the device from the wall or other support.

When a pair of trousers are placed in the into clamping engagement with the upper end of the garment and as the closing action of the press proceeds, exerts a stretching action as shown in Figure 2. Further action of the levers 14 brings the clamping board 5 into engagement with the garment to effect the pressing and creasing of the main portion of the legs of the garment. By mounting the board 5 through the medium of the springs 7 the lower end of board 1 can give to the thickness of the trousers in relation to the lower end of the board 5, and by mounting the lower board 4 upon the board 5 by means of the spring 8, the board 4 can give to the increased thickness of the hem or turned-up ends of the trousers, as shown in Figure 3.

It will be understood that any other suitable means than that described above may be provided to limit the opening of the press. Also, any suitable form of linkage or connecting means may be provided between the operating levers 14 and the stirrup17, 19,- so that the initial operationof the levers 14 will give a preliminary closing movement to bring the lugs 13 into position to be engaged by the cam surface 15 of the levers, as shown in Figure 2. c

Othermeans may be employed for sup porting the press in convenient position. Thus for example the clamping board 5 may form an integral part of, or be rigidly mountr ed upon, a special stand having a suitable base adapting it for standing upon the floor.

The spring 8 or similar springs may if desired be disposed beneath the springs 7.

Figure 6 is ,a vertical section and Figure 7 an inside face view of a batten 16a corresponding with the batten 16 of Figures 1-5, and these figures illustrate a modified method of mounting the operating levers 14. The batten is grooved throughout at 23 and the cross rod 14a connecting the two levers 14 is housed in the bottom of this groove. At intervals bores 24 are provided and in these bores are housed relatively strong helical springs 25 in compression between the rod 14a and the rear face of the clamping board 5. In the completely closed position of the press the rodis forced forward against the action of the springs so that the final clamping pressure ismoreresilient. This provision also adapts the press for, pressing different thicknesses efficiently. As a modification the springs 25 and bores 24 may be dispensed with and a waved or bent leaf spring or springs may be interposed between the rod 14a and the rear face of the board 5.

Further improvements according to the invention are illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.

Referring to these figures, the top clamping nstance board 6 is provided with a facing 6a of ma terial which provides a very efiicient friction grip upon the fabric of the garment without any danger of damaging the said fabric.

This facing may consist for the purpose of ing, more effective even than a grooved or ser-,

rated board of wood or other hard material and without any risk of damage to the garment. This facing of friction material may for greater effect be grooved or serrated.

These Figures 8, 9 and. 10 also show means for giving substantial gripping pressure to the upper clamping board 6 during the initial stages of the closing of the press for the purposes of the stretching operation, while removing or relieving the said pressure when the press is completely closed. The rod 14a constituting the pivot of the hand levers 14: is provided with a radially projecting bent portionlb. During the initial closing oppro] ecting Pgl'tlOIl bears 11 (see rlgure 9) so eration this radially against the leaf spring that strong clamping pressure is applied to the board 6 through the said spring to grip the garment for the stretching operation. l/Vhen however the closing of the press has been completed by the downward movement of the hand levers 14, the rotation of the rod 14a moves the radially projecting portion 14b rearwardly away in relation to the spring 11, thus removing or relieving the clamping pressure. This is an advantageous improvement in presses of this nature because when the stretching of the garment is completed and the main length thereof pressed between the boards 1 and 5, the heavier pressure of the board 6 required for stretching is no longer required, it is undesirable to have the spring 11 maintained strained over long periods,'and the maintaining of strong pressure on the said board 6 may be liable to spread apart the upper ends of the boards 1 and 2 and detract from effective pressing of the main length of the garment between these boards.

To permit of the functioning of the bent radial portion 146, the long continuous batten for the support of the rodli-a is dispensed with and the said rod mounted inthe two short battens 16?) which are provided with grooves, recesses and springs as described with reference to Figures 6 and 7 of thedrawings.

Another detail of improvement shown in these Figures 8, 9 and 10 is the provision of a stop 26 attached to the back of the clamping board 6 and adapted to rest upon the upper end of the spring 11 when the press is in the open position, see Figure 9, so that the links 9 are supported in upwardlyinclined position ing element and a sectional ready to move in the stretching direction on .theclosin'gof the press.

Referring againto Figures i=5 inclusive, the press therein illustrated embodies in its construction another feature which is agreat advantage in practice, namely the provision of the fillet 'orb'att'en on the inside cof-the lower endof the board 1; Thus after suit able folding, the garment is heid suspended intheehands with thebottom of the legs be ilowiand lowered down being in open position as shown in F igure 1 of the said drawings. When the end of the trousers reach the said batten this will be indicated by the garment commencing to the board 1-, the press buckle. A slight retraction upwards will then ensure, without any prolonged manipulation or scrutiny, that the bottoms of the trousers are in correctu the boards 1 and 4 on the press being closed.

I claim position to be gripped between t 1. A presser and stretcher of the kind herebefore mentioned, comprising a rigid clampclamping element hinged together, wherein the sectional element comprises a main clamping board for the main part of the legs of the trousers which is hinged at the bottom of the rigid element, a lower clamping board for clamp 5 7 ing and pressing the ends of the trousers, the said lower clamping board being normally in alignment with the main board, and mounted thereon by springs, and means for clampi gthe rigid element and the said main clamping'board together.

'2. A claim 1, wherein the main clamping board is hinged to the rigid element through themedium of a leaf spring or springs to permit it to give to the thickness of the garment in the closed position of the presser and stretcher.

3. A presser and stretcher according to claim 1 wherein the lower board is mounted upon the main board by leaf springs. V

4. A presser and stretcher according to claim 1, comprising also an upper clamping! board pivotally mounted upon the upper end of the main clamping board v and spring pressed in such manner that it normally projects forwardly of the main board and'on the closing movement grips the upper end of the garment and moves upwardly as the closing of the presser and stretcher is effected, thus effecting stretching of the garment.

5. In a presser and stretcher of the kind hereinbefore mentioned, and having an upper clamping board mounted and spring pressed presser and stretcher according to substantially as and for the purpose herein described, and provided also with means for closlng the presser and stretcher, the provision of means associated wlth the means for closing the presser and stretcher, whereby substantial gripping pressure is applied to such upper clamping board during the closing of the .pre'sser and stretcher and the stretching operation and relieved when the closing of the presser andstretcher is completed and the final pressing. pressure applied to the major portion of the garment.

6. A presser. and stretcher according to Claim 5,where1n the clamping board is spring leaf spring and the closing pressed by a means comprise hand levers connected by a cross rod having a radially projecting bend or the like co-acting with the said leaf sprin substantiallyas described. 1 7 JOHN SIDDONS CORBY. 

